Loose canvas

[Melthias15]

So my OTCA has been drying in a greenhouse for about 2 months, and I am getting ready to paint and shellac the outside. Unfortunately, when I went out to check on it I noticed that the canvas has loosened quite a bit:



I used the upside down method of canvasing, and thought I pulled the canvas pretty tight as I was stapling. Granted, it was humid and raining outside when canvased, and it has been really dry in the greenhouse. Is it possible that the canvas will restore itself to its previous condition once it is out of there? (note that there are wrinkles on the bottom as well as "puffed out cheeks" on the bow and stern)

 

[Paul Miller]

Hi,

You have a problem.

As mentioned in a number of posts about canvasing, canvas shrinks when wet and loosens when dry. It may have helped if you stretched it upright with a come along.

You will have no choice but try and re-stretch the canvas by pulling all the tacks section by section and redoing. Not sure how it will look when done, but it that doesn't work you will need to do it with fresh canvas.

Good luck,

Paul

 

[Dave Osborn]

I've done what Paul suggests.... It worked for me.
It also happened to me when I canvassed in rain/high humidity.

 

[Gil Cramer]

before doing much of anything, I would dump 2-3 gallons of HOT water in the hull and slosh it around so that all of the canvas was wet. Dump out most of the water, Allow the canoe to dry right-side-up completely for about a week, and inspect the canvas. If wrinkles are still visible along the shear, pull the fasteners, tighten and re-fasten. I would not pull the fasteners along the stem. I would keep adding hot water in the ends until the wrinkles were gone. This is not likely to be a major catastrophe.
Gil

 

[Melthias15]

Well, I did do some of what you guys said... I pulled the staples along the ribs that were close to the end and got rid of most of the bulges at the bow and stern. I could not figure out a good way to get a lot of tension amidships since i had already trimmed off the extra canvas (won't do that again). I didn't do the hot water thing since I have sellaced the inside to prep for varnishing tomorrow. I figure that I will just finish the canvas as is and if it doesn't work itself out I may try the hot water/recanvas.

 

[Melthias15]

Btw, here are some better pics of the wrinkles:

 

[Melthias15]

To add to my canvas woes, it seems that there are a few spots where the filler was not totally cured. Some of them are where the shellac is, and some blisters are popping up. I am considering holding off on painting above the waterline so that the filler in that area has more time to dry (it seems that the filler is not fully cured in a few isolated spots).
This got me to thinking, other than esthetics and bottom protection, is there a functional advantage to painting the filler? Why not leave it as is and use it occasionally until I am sure that the filler is fully cured? Will the filler (again, >90% dry) freak out if used for a day trip without a paint job?

 

[Dave Wermuth]

This quesetion seems to have gotten thru unnoticed.... I would not put it in the water until it's all done. Primer and top coat over the filler. I ask myself-what's the worst that could happen and I really don't know, I think it just sounds like more bad stuff could happen, like a contaminant on the surface that doesn't come off and causes problems with the paint. Looks like some nice work so far, hang in .

 

[MGC]

Shellac your bottom

Why not leave it as is and use it occasionally until I am sure that the filler is fully cured? Will the filler (again, >90% dry) freak out if used for a day trip without a paint job?

Some of us do not paint the bottoms of our working canoes. We apply shellac. Shellac is applied directly over the filler up to the waterline. The shellac serves as a protective coating.
Shellac seems to become a bit slippery in the water. It slides over rocks and logs better than paint does.
It is easily renewable. I apply a fresh coat every year or so depending upon how the canoe has been used.
Check out Jerry Stellmock or Rollin Thurlows canoes to see how they should look when done properly.

 

[Melthias15]

This quesetion seems to have gotten thru unnoticed.... I would not put it in the water until it's all done. Primer and top coat over the filler. I ask myself-what's the worst that could happen and I really don't know, I think it just sounds like more bad stuff could happen, like a contaminant on the surface that doesn't come off and causes problems with the paint. Looks like some nice work so far, hang in .

Yeah, I put the breaks on putting it in the water. I am gonna let it sit a bit longer and try painting in around April 20th. I keep having to remember to go slow and not rush things and that keeping to a schedule that is too rigid will just dissappoint or will result in problems down the line. I partially blame my impatience on being in 21 and in college, where everything is driven by deadlines.

 

[rpg51]

The patience thing does not get better with age. At 63 you start counting the number of hours of paddling you have left before its all over.